Barely Hanging On
by zosimos
Summary: Reverse'verse: Edward's just having a bad day, and an unexpected visitor just makes things worse.


There was one thing in particular that Edward hated more than budget meetings this week, and that particular somebody was already waiting for him in his office, stretched out on a couch with his scuffed military boots hanging over the armrest. Edward's scowl deepened dramatically, but Hawkeye's expression didn't even twitch.

"When General Blackburn dies, I am going to have a picnic on his grave," Edward snarled, kicking his desk chair out and dropping into it heavily. Hawkeye gave him a look, and Edward glared defiantly back. "Stop looking at me like that, I didn't say _I_ was going to kill him."

"Are you done with these reports?" Hawkeye asked, deflecting Edward's attention back to the task at hand. She started collecting a haphazard pile of folders near the edge of the desk, and Edward nodded, drumming the fingers of his right hand on the edge of his desk.

"I don't have to see that stuck-up prick again for at least another week, right?"

"Unless you cause another national emergency sir, no, you are through meeting with the General and his staff." Hawkeye tapped the edge of the folders against the desk. "Are you through having a tantrum, Ed?"

"I am _not_ having a tantrum." Edward dropped his chin into his hand, elbow on the armrest of his chair. "I wonder if I concentrate on it hard enough, I can set him on fire with my mind."

"Ed!"

Edward grunted and glared up at Hawkeye. "He called me a stupid child." The speed of his fingers tapping on the desk increased. "And don't tell me he was _right_, I don't care if he's right or not but he called me out in front of the others, and I have worked TOO HARD to have a dickweed like Blackburn come waltzing in here like he owns the place."

Hawkeye's eyes softened. "Edward, he's a brigadier general. Please pick your battles carefully."

"You don't actually have to tell me that," Edward said, and sighed. "Thanks, captain."

"You don't have any more meetings for the day," Hawkeye told him as she turned to go. "But Colonel Neuhaus wanted a word with you before you left for the day."

The noise Edward made sounded like a typewriter jamming. Hawkeye closed the door behind her, and Edward slumped in his chair, hand still on his forehead. "I am not having a good day," he groaned out loud. "There better be a damn good reason for you being here, Tringham."

Russell Tringham lifted the folder he had laying open over his face and covered a yawn. "I've only been gone a few months, you've been pretty busy."

"Wish you would stay gone forever," Edward muttered.

"That reminds me, did you pay those Aerugans to try to drown me? Because that's pretty poor form, and you need to look into people's references a bit more." Russell sat up and scratched the side of his face.

"Why would I hire someone to kill you when I could just take the pleasure in doing it myself?"

"This is true." Russell tossed the folder on the table. "Noticed you've got more staff."

"The garrison is expanding," Edward said. "There's so much abuse of the State Alchemist system that I finally got some requests pushed through for permanent additional help." He eyed Russell. "This isn't some round-about way of asking for a job, is it? Intelligence finally got tired of your bullshit and kicked you out?"

Russell smirked. "Why, you offering?"

"Hell no, I have enough to deal with here."

"So I heard. Who's General Blackburn?"

"Some asshole from a border station in the north-west. Is there a REASON why you're here? I do have work to do, you know."

Russell leaned back on the couch, crossing his arms over his chest. He had been growing his hair out, as was in fashion in Aeruga currently, and it almost brushed his shoulders. "So I hear you're diddling a barely-legal State Alchemist."

Edward - paused. His eyes met Russell's across the room and they were cold. "Where-ever did you hear something like _that_?"

"Around." Russell raised an eyebrow. "I know you have daddy issues, Elric, but on what planet did you think this was a GOOD idea?"

"I've really been in the mood to defenestrate someone today, please, keep going."

"Ed, I'm serious." Russell said quietly. "You can get into a lot of trouble for something like this."

Edward sighed deeply, and folded his arms. "Don't you think I know that?"

"Sometimes it's pretty hard to tell what you think. Most of the time you don't think at all."

The silence stretched a long moment, and Edward turned his desk-chair away from the desk. "I don't want to talk about this now."

Russell stood up and crossed the room, slamming his open hand on Edward's desk. "And when DO you want to have this conversation, in front of the entire military tribunal?"

Edward looked up at Russell through his bangs, gold eyes narrow. "Is that a threat, Major Tringham?"

"_Dammit_ Ed," Russell said.

"What exactly is my crime, here? Last I checked, barely legal was still legal."

"Fraternization is a big deal, especially if you're in a commanding officer/subordinate situation," Russell reminded him. "You're risking everything on this kid."

Edward said quietly, with great conviction. "I know."

Russell straightened up, put his hands on his hips. "You are such a stubborn _bastard_ sometimes," he sighed. "Well, it's on your own head now."

"Are you going to report us?"

"Feh," Russell waved his hand in front of his face. "Not worth my time and besides," he grinned sharply. "It's so nice finally having sometime tangible on you."

"Yeah, you totally have to even out all the piles of dirt I've got on you." Edward gave a dismissive wave in Russell's direction. "You just want a reason to be insubordinate and get away with it."

"I just can't help myself, Colonel Elric, there's something about you that brings out the utter worst in me. Truly, this must be love."

"Oh, fuck off, Russell. Are we through?"

"Yeah." Russell paused. "I'm serious, though, be careful. I'm fond of the arrangement we've got, so don't screw this up for me." He raised a hand over his shoulder. "I'm off to the North for a month, here's to hoping Major-General Armstrong doesn't eat me or something."

"Russell?"

Russell hesitated, his hand on the doorknob. Edward's voice was level and perfectly lethal. "If you so much as mutter a word that harms Rian in any way, I will kill you myself." When Russell glanced over his shoulder, Edward was shuffling the paperwork on his desk. "Give the Major-General my regards."

The door clicked open before Russell could open it, and the Gale Alchemist, Rian Martin, blinked at Russell in surprise. There was a slight glimmer of recognition in Rian's eye, but he glanced past Russell at Edward, and that shuttered aside for a look of pure rage. "COLONEL!" Rian bellowed as he stormed past Russell. "What the HELL was in that package you had me deliver to the Lieutenant Colonel! The military police DETAINED ME for half the day!"

"Ah," Edward's voice was light. "Are they screening the packages again? Drat."

Russell closed the door behind him.

* * *

Prompt #05 of 25: Gloves.


End file.
